paul simon
In '70 I invented A minor chord, all by myself, after playing everything with major chords since I grabbed a guitar for the first time : impressing nobody but my parents. This song was repeated on the radio every day, and the lyrics were released in magazines. But something was wrong with the harmony ... more or less by accident, I put a finger on G-string's second fret ...
A few years later, I had learned fingerpicking, and performed my own norwegian version in Drammen Theater. At least a score applauded: my classmates and my parents. They'd got tickets for free.
The song is from "Bridge over Troubled Water" (1970), the S&G-duo's 5th and last studio album. A large and complicated production at that time, but it remained Columbia's best-selling album until Michael Jackson released "Thriller" in 1982. The studio recording of "The Boxer" took more than 100 hours to complete, with endless retakes and additions, and is the only S&G-song where Garfunkel now and then faulty has been credited co-author, briefly for the arrangement and inspiration. The result was stunning, but I still wonder why Charlie McCoy frequently goes "wa-wa-wa" on bass harmonica exclusively on right channel, a muffled bass "dup-ta-dup" exclusively on left channel and the famous *clash* after lie-la-lie drops down in center with no echoes to left nor right ... well, those were the days.
After 40 years I've decided to include this in my humble "album", and I've taken it down to G key instead of C. My norwegian version is lost many years ago, fortunately. Mumford&Sons on "Babels" featuring Jerry Douglas on dobro gave me a kick back last year, so I leave with you the simple chords, and the lost 4th verse.
I am just a poor boy
though my story's seldom told
I have squandered my resistance
for a pocketful of mumbles
such are promises
all lies and jest
still a man hears what he wants to hear
and disregards the rest
when I left my home and my family
I was no more than a boy
in the company of strangers
in the quiet of a railway station
running scared
laying low seeking out the poorer quarters
where the ragged people go
looking for the places only they would know
lie-la-lie ...
asking only workman's wages
I come looking for a job
but I get no offers
just a come-on from the whores on Seventh Avenue
I do declare :
there were times when I was so lonesome
I took some comfort there
la-la-la...
lie-la-lie...
then I'm laying out my winter clothes
and wishing I was gone
going home
where the New York City winters aren't bleeding me
leading me
going home
in the clearing stands a boxer
and a fighter by his trade
and he carries the reminders
of every glove that laid him down
or cut him till he cried out
in his anger and his shame
«I am leaving, I am leaving»
but the fighter still remains
lie-la-lie...
[now the years are rolling by me
they are rocking easily
I am older than I once was
and younger than I'll be
but that's not unusual
no it isn't strange
after changes upon changes
we are more or less the same
after changes we are more or less the same]
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
G I am just a poor boy G/F# Em though my story's seldom told D D7 I have squandered my resistance Am D7 for a pocketful of mumbles G such are promises G/#F Em all lies and jest D C still a man hears what he wants to hear Am G ... D7 and disregards the rest G when I left my home and my family G/F# Em I was no more than a boy D D7 in the company of strangers Am D7 in the quiet of a railway station G running scared Em D C laying low seeking out the poorer quarters Am G where the ragged people go D D7 G looking for the places only they would know G Em D D7 Em lie-la-lie lie-la-lie-di-lie-di-lie lie-la-lie C D D7 G lie-la-lie-di-lie-di-lie-la-la-lie-di-lie [...] G then I'm laying out my winter clothes G/F# Em and wishing I was gone D going home Am D7 G where the New York City winters aren't bleeding me Bm ... Em leading me D ... D7 ...G going home
